Japan’s Nikkei closes lower due to expectations of monetary tightening and Middle East conflict

Japan’s Nikkei index closed down about 2 percent on Thursday, tracking a wave of profit-taking stock selling on Wall Street after strong US economic data reinforced bets on monetary tightening by the Federal Reserve, while tensions in the Middle East also increased risk aversion.

Chip-related stocks underperformed noticeably after traders took cues from their US counterparts as a rise in long-term US Treasury yields to their highest levels in 16 years weighed on so-called growth stocks.

The Nikkei index ended trading down 1.91 percent at 31,430.62 points, near the lowest level during the session at 31,399.17, a level the index last recorded on the tenth of this month. Of the 225 stocks listed on it, 179 stocks declined while 44 rose.

Tokyo Electron chip manufacturing equipment company shares fell 4.7 percent, being the biggest losers on the Nikkei index. Advantest, a manufacturer of chip testing equipment, also fell 3.4 percent.

The broader Topix index lost 1.36 percent.

Shares of automakers also declined, with shares of Mitsubishi Motors falling 4.9 percent, Nissan 2.5 percent, and Toyota 0.9 percent.

On the other hand, shares of railway operating companies led the few gainers, with shares of Q Corp rising 2.4 percent and Odaquio Inc. rising 1.9 percent.